Birthday Presents
by Tsukino Akume
Summary: The Rangers are still recovering from the effects the black sand when Antonio gets some surprise visitors.


**Disclaimer/:** Still not mine, damn it.  
**Warnings/:** None, really.  
**Author's Notes/:** Written because I discovered while working on the timeline for Bright Skies that A Strange Case of the Munchies happens on Rocky's birthday. Also, anyone who ate as much as they all did in that episode should have been in the fetal position if not wrapped around a toilet afterward. Especially Kevin, who being an Olympic candidate would have to be extremely careful about what he eats.

* * *

"I feel like I'm gonna puke," Mike groaned.

"Don't say the p-word," Antonio mumbled.

Jayden made a murmur of agreement. Kevin sort of whimpered from where he'd curled up against the wall. Mia didn't respond at all, still sitting with her eyes closed. If you looked closely enough, there was a pained grimace on her face, and she was breathing very carefully.

Emily smiled sympathetically at them all. "We did try to stop you," she pointed out.

The doorbell rang.

There was a long silence as no one moved. Ji finally got up with a resigned sigh, muttering "I'll get it."

Antonio watched Jayden from his slumped position at the table, absently reaching across to poke his friend in the arm. Jayden swatted at him weakly. He took it as an invitation to do it again, and was finally rewarded with a sleepy-eyed glare.

Ji reappeared in the doorway, clearing his throat with a confused expression. "Antonio? There's someone at the door for you."

Antonio chose to contemplate the table for a moment.

"Antonio?" Ji repeated, disapproval slipping into his tone.

He hmmed. "I heard. I'm trying to decide who it is."

"Why don't you go see?" Emily asked, trying not to smile.

He shrugged a shoulder. "If it's someone I know, they'll wait. If it's not, then it's probably not important."

Kevin finally managed to give him a suspicious look. "Just how many people have you told where this house is?"

"No one." He sat up, stretching lazily. "But that doesn't mean they still don't already know."

"Who knows?" Mia asked with a frown.

He shrugged. "Lots of people. You don't form a Ranger team without getting noticed these days."

Moving was incredibly uncomfortable when his stomach was still so full, and he made no effort to do it quickly. He wasn't kidding when he said anyone important would wait. He also wasn't kidding when he told Mike not to say the p-word.

Not that it mattered when he saw who was waiting for him at the door.

"Papa! Dad!" he yelped, flinging himself forward. He was caught, just as he knew he would be, and trapped between them in a tight hug. He sighed contentedly as Rocky nuzzled his hair and Adam surreptitiously checked him over. "What are you guys doing here?"

Rocky chuckled, and he felt a light kiss to his hair. "Adam asked me what I wanted for my birthday," he explained. "And I said you. So, here we are."

He pulled back to pout at him. "But I just sent off your presents so you'd get them today!"

Rocky shook his head with a smile, pulling him close again. "You're the only present I need, kiddo."

He huffed a little, but he couldn't help leaning into the hug.

"So we figured we'd stop by and take you out to dinner," Adam finished, ruffling his hair as they finally let him go.

He flinched slightly. "Uh ... we just ate," he said sheepishly, reaching up to rub the back of his hand. "A really big meal, too - I'm completely stuffed. But we can go to the carnival, or out to a movie!" he suggested brightly.

He'd always been a terrible liar.

"Sounds like a plan," Rocky agreed. There was a look in his eyes that said he wanted details later, but at least he was willing to wait until they no longer had an audience. "You can lead the way. We bringing your friends?"

There was a quiet scuffling behind him that suggested the others hadn't realized they'd been noticed. He was torn between pointing out that they weren't exactly subtle and telling them that his parents were ninjas just to see who believed him. "Uh - "

"Can't. We've gotta clean up the kitchen - major food fight," Mike said quickly, giving a cheerful grin.

"But thank you for inviting us!" Emily added brightly.

Adam nodded with a polite smile. "Maybe some other time."

Rocky threw an arm around Antonio's shoulders. "Let's get going, kiddo. I've still got eight hours of birthday left. We're wasting daylight!"

Antonio laughed and let himself be dragged along. He could hear the guys behind them, Emily telling them to have fun and wishing 'Mr. Garcia' a happy birthday.

And then Adam looked at him with a suspicious frown once they were out of earshot. "The guy in red ... Jayden? He isn't one of ***those*** Reds, is he?"


End file.
